A Letter about Patience – Waiting, Waiting, Waiting…!

@ 1995?

Dear S…..,

Hi! My name is Boomerang Number Two, Guess who is One? You! Hey! that’s a better nickname than all the others that I have for you so far; those I have not told you yet.

You said that you were going to read my first letter over two or three times. But so far you have not really told me your thoughts on it. This letter is really a continuation of the same topic: TIME. In fact, most of it was done when I gave you the first part. In any case, I do hope that you will find my views too strong or me too out-spoken.
But here is something else, (which some people may find ironical). Inside of me, even though it rarely shows, is an almost constant aversion to wasting time. I find it very frustrating to have so much time wasted every day by being so physically dependent on others for my care. I spend literally hours every day waiting. Waiting in the toilet, at meal table, waiting for rides, phone-calls, duties and necessaries rather than pleasures, sharing in many activities that I would prefer not to. …

My Active Mind and Self Discipline

Before I lost most of my sight, reading was always one of my greatest pleasures. Now I depend on recordings, or “live readers” to turn print into voice. Even so, I think what I wrote in 1987 (below) shares insight into my thinking. Perhaps it will help some to see why I get frustrated when bland entertainment, language or other things get in the way of hearing something worth thinking about.

1987

This essay is for absolutely everyone, wife, step-daughters, brothers, in-laws, relatives, parents, close and not so close friends, new and old friends, the staff here at Quensel Extended Care, strangers and maybe even enemies. (ha ha) As with most of my typing projects, I’m not promising when or how many pages later that it will be completed. I’m doing this one for the sheer enjoyment of it, and no doubt it will lead into several side-topics. But it is something that I should of done many years ago. Because I deeply believed that it would of helped in understanding my ways better. To me, most of what is to follow is obvious. I expected family, friends, even strangers to know certain things about me, so that they would not talk in accord. As a result, sometimes I get frustrated inside of myself when they do not recognize the obvious. But the main purpose of this essay is not to gain advantages or to win extra consideration. The main idea, intention, is a thanksgiving and even a sort of celebration for being blessed with an active mind and somehow having learned the art of self-discipline (in some areas).

When We were Kids – Reflections on Why Me?

When we were kids I used to save a particular choice morsel of meat to eat after dessert. When I was a child, even as a teen, I considered ourselves poor. In 1953 dad had a bad fall on the ice, while working at the planer mill owned by uncle Harold. In my memory we had many financial crisis. But we never did go without good meals, clothing, a home, and good friends. We always had a good garden and mom would buy fruit in season and did much canning. Regardless how many people think their mothers cooking was best, mom’s special recipes were widely known.

I do not know much about Terry’s friends, but they always had some special quality or talent. They were always so warm and open with me. They even knew and loved me before they ever met me, (because Terry had told them about me. Not so much about my personality as Terry was not very sentimental though he was strong minded and logical. But people’s natural response to Terry is with a deep desire and satisfaction to co-operate with him. One of the great puzzle’s of my life has always been how many people expect or think I should be content to sit idle more or less or just to read for hours, then there are others who do not care or even notice. It is hard to care for being a special friend of someone who does not want to know or share or talk or read about deeper things.

I know that once in awhile I have asked ” why me ? ” , even though I am very sure of the answer. But I can honestly say that I have never blamed God. This is something that I am very grateful for. A belief system and an attitude to go with it to prevent me from going sour on life itself. Periodically, I do get very disgruntled, discouraged, frustrated and even angry at certain types of people , but I have never regretted living. Nor do I regret being born a disabled.

1976/77 – Alberta Highlights – Winging my way

 

Flight to Alberta Highlights – April 1977

We were at the Kelowna Airport a way ahead of time (an hour & hour).  This was my 3rd plane.  Thanks to a sneaky trick by the stewardess.  I got a window seat.  She told the guy who loaded me that I need a wall to lean on.  As a result, I could see so much more than during my trips last September. (Some detailed descriptions will be found elsewhere in my binders at a later typing).  For now, it will have to be enough to say that it such a beautiful feast to the eyes, it was too much for my memory to absorb in that sight-filled hour.  I could have enjoyed even more if my innards have not been in agony (which didn’t have anything to do with me being up in the air.  But I was so intent at looking down on the sights that “my” stewardess thought that I had gone to sleep.  When we landed, she asked me if I had enjoyed my sleep.  Sorry to say, I couldn’t correct the impression & tell her how wrong she was!